Spring bearing



April 7, 1931- 1 a. gimme-WAN l 1,799,450

SPRING BEARING Filed July 19,22 2, sheets-sheet 1 April 7,'1931- E. B. ZQMMERMAN 1,799,450

,spuma BEARING I, t Filed July z, 1929 2 sheets-Sheet 2 @i orney Patented lApr.`v 7, i' 1.931

PATENT olil-"Ica:"'

EDWARD D. ZIMMERIVIAN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SPRING IanARIIvev j i Application filed July 2,*1

This invention relatesto a spring bearing.v by means of which the leaf spring of an` axle may be loosely connected to theframe or other part of the vehicle so that the spring 5 will be relievedlof. all stresses except those j' which are due solely to the weight or Inovement of the vehicle.

l1l\/Iore specifically an objectof the inventionV is to provide such a connection as will allow 10 an oscillating movement ofthe spring in all directions with respect to the frame member but which will not allow the spring to roll relatively to the frame.

" Affurther `object of my invention is tofproi' 15 vide'a device which will allow free longitudi- Vnal movement of the spring with respect to vthe frame member with provision for 'anti-k friction bearings between the spring and the frame member. v 1 y f Another object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting such bearings and for adjusting the position of the spring with relation to the frame member. In this way thejroller bearing forming the anti-'friction 25 means may be tightened to remove any unde# sirable looseness and also the position ofthe spring end may be adjusted laterally of the`r frame and thus the alignment of the axle be j indirectly corrected. f Y

Other objects and advantageswill be ap# parent from the following vspecification and the preferred form of my invention aszillusv trated `in thev accompanying`drawingsin.

which 1 is a side elevation 0f the devie; f

Fig v Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the end plate f' removed; n A. n i A0 Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section! of` the bearing taken on the `line 4-4 of Fig.` 3;I Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectionon the'line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

y Fig. 6 is a perspective vi Fig. 7 isa fragmentarylpe of the roller bearingc'age. For purposesvof'llustfation ofthe invention' I have shown the preferredform thereof- 7- to include a substantially cylindrical housing; 1 having onits upper side a hemispherical.

bearing member 2- and in--its lower side aj ew of the yoleand rspective 'view .side kof the housi 'that the endlplate 6 isl allowed slight freedom 929. Serial No.`l375,368. similarly shaped bearing depression 3. l These elements lit upon corresponding parts 4,4. of

thev frame of a vehicle. In this` wayfthe cas- Ingl 1 is held firmly in place but withzafreef 'dom of movement through the bearings 2, 3 55 and around theirvertical laxis as a pivot.

f 'Ihe housing 1 has an Internalfrib 5 at one A'end which forms a'stop member, andan end plate 6. This end plate? is capable of adjustment to rand from the rib 5 and'is held against 60 l outward movement bythe lthrough bolts 7,7.

The opposite end 6 is the housing 1. y Y

A suitably packed vopening 7. is provided to permit the spring to pass through thep ng without admitting dirt,

shown integral with f water, etc. n Y Centrally of the ends 6, 6 there 'are provided sleeves 8', 8 which'fint' turn formfsupports for the anti-friction bearings',9",9; "i

Ihave shown a well known form of tapered roller bearing at -this point,r but it is to Vbe understood' that a" ball "bearing or Vother equivalentV anti-friction' bearingmember may be used. It 4is essentialthatlthe bearingbe of 75 such a type `thatfit can'be adjustedfor looseness'by endwise displacement of one of its members. It isto provide such displacement of movement in' the barrel 1. 80

-Thus 'as the bolts 7 areV tightened, the plate 6 movesinwardly, 'carrying withitthe outside'flof the -bearingf9 until' all slack in the bearing i's'talen up.` vIFurther tightening displaces thefbearing asa whole and movesthe 85 member supported by the bearing tot'he left, (Fig.' 4) ,thus adjusting lthe bearing inf the end plate; 1 7. Y Y A When allundesirable sla-ckhas been taken out of the'bearings in this way the tightening" 90 of the bolts 7 is of course discontinued, 'The outer ends of the bearings are closedvr by means of cover-plates 10, 10 which 'are bolted as at 11 tothe sleeves 8,8. f, v y The .bearings 9, 9 serve as bearings 'for the .95 journals or-trunnions 12, 12.1 Thesetrunnions are bored longitudinally: and have threaded therethrough adjusting screws .13," The 'tr-unnions 12, 12 are parts of the ends '14, 14

Qfayole.` This yoke has an upper side` 15 10Q and a bottom 16. Suitable means such as cotter-pins 17 may be used through the ends of the trunnions 12 in order to lock the adjusting screws 13, 13, in the desired position. This yoke is permitted by trunnions 12 and anti-friction bearings 9 to oscillate in a vertical plane.

It will also be evident that since the ends bearings 9,9 no en dwise motion ofntheyoke is permitted.n Howevadjustment ofthe trunnion bearings in this direction is permitted by means of the adjusting bolts 7, 7 as above outlined.

A pair of bearing races 18, 18 are provided 4Witl1i11-fthe .yoke andbetween its top 15 and .bottom'16." Theserraces 4are substantially V'xchanucl-shaped members having .a web 19,

vmay consist of oneor more leaves.

tupperfra'cej20and lower race 21. The inner faces 'of thera`ce"s.:20` and ,2l slope upwardly from nrdiverge'in .a-.directiori away .from the fyveb 19. The bearing .races 18 have means, lshown' asthestud bolts 22 on'their outer sur- "ifaces to frmgl-iides. orv bearing members againstthefsides 'of the top and bottom Aof "the'ybkefflfdesired other means such as ribs, :keys'orthelikemaybe used, it beingmerely essential that the members 18, 1,8 be allowed 'slidingitalon'gthe yoke. 'if Theiweb 1.9;bears against the inner end of adjustin'gscrew.lbymeans of which the web is Liemited in its travel toward the end of the f i .Theireeend of a leaf spring23 is shown in Fig. 5to project inwardly lofthe casing land These :leaves aresh'ownto carry shoes 24, 24. These f 1 shoes arejheld on the yedges of the leaf spring .zwthinthe race-ways 20 and 21 and their outer surfaces ,25 and-126 are 'parallel respectively., to

` ythe'iner surfaces ofthe members20 and 21.

'An anti-.friction means occupiesthis space ,betweenfthe 'races .20,4211 andl the opposite sur- .aces125'gmdf26 ofthe vshoes 24. 'l`hs antfriction means comprises a cage 4,27 Lmade of 'spring metal. The ,Gage 27 has @series 0f :recesses 281111 its 'Upper ,andv lower vsides and j 'wher hearing 29 has pins' @extend- Lnjs' beyond the pend-S thereof ,andbeng zr@- iced-,vndk inthe @21.132.127 either yin the `apertures ';31 ;n;th:c ends 4oit the cage'or napertured lugs 32. I have shown two rollers above and also below each of-the -shQsQrbut-hsmay be reduoedtoonezroller 'orthe number yfurther in- "c'reased k,dependent.upon what is found most )desir-axiale.` Y

V It .will nowbe apparent ...that `Lhave provided a spring connection which will relievev the'ispring'from all stresses Yexcept those aris- ."ng'dire'etlyrom the weight, oroperation of thewehi'cle. Thus,ioscillation Aof the spring in E horizontal plane willbe allowedtbvthel turning ofthe .whole tcasingat the 'pivotal Q5" cnnections .f2-.3. Binding' from rmisalignment of the spring mounting, or from distortion under side thrusts is thus impossible.

Oscillation in a vertical plane, such as would be caused by the normal flexing of the spring under varying loads is Vpermitted by the pivotal connection of the yoke in the antifriction bearings 9 9, the packing at 7 yield- Aing suiiiciently to prevent straining the cas- 14, 14 of the yoke abut against the ends of the.

' a tendency to spread thelatt-er owing-to the inclination of the surfaces v2() and 25, and also that this `Vspreading Vwill be .resisted-by the adjusting screwscl.l lIt is therefore possible Vby manipulation of the vsaid screws to; obtain the correct clearance between the races and rollers and insure freedom` of motion without looseness.

.It is possible also by tightening Aonescrew and loosening the other to adjust the position of the spring leaf laterally, there beingbsuiiicient clearance betweenlthey webs y19jkof5the races andthe ends 14 .of the yoke topermit this. In the case of a vehicle, adJustmerits,of` 'wheel alignment mightibe made lut-his w'ay.

lt` is obvious that the working partsi of the .device may be eectively lubricated by packing the housing 1 with grease or the like, and that the saine will be retainedv therein by the packing 7". The same means willvvof course also act ,to exclude dirt and water.

Vhile I have -ifor conveniencelimitedmy description to a mounting for la vehicle spring, it isvto be understood thatlmy inyen- 'tion is vapplicable to any situation where it vis necessary to mount a memberfin such a waythat it may reciprocatefreelyto a certain extent and also oscillateffree/ly. accordingly dovnot wish to be limitedto ayehicle spring mounting, but ,desire to embrace 'anyvariation in structure or ,useof myinvention allin'gwithinlthe scope vof the subjoined claims.

1. Inaveh'icle spring connection a frame member, a housing vertically 'pivoted to said frame member, a yoke horizontally piyted 'in said housing, vraces mounted in *said yoke, "rollers running in said Iraces, shoes guided Aand supported byV said rollers, `anda 4'leaf spring Icarried by said shoes.

j 2. yehicle spring` connection Aa-iframe member, a houslngivertically pivotedto said ytrame l member, a yoke horizontally V.pivoted yin said housing said yoke, means for adjusting 4the position of said races in'said yoke, rollersrunning in said races, shoes guided vand Supported by said rollers, and a leaf spring carried by said shoes.

3. In a vehicle spring connection a frame member a housing vertically pivoted to said frame member, an opening in said housing, a

yoke horizontally pivoted in said housing, races slidably mounted in said yoke, means for adj ustably urging said races toward each other, rollers running in said'races, Wedge m shaped shoes guided and supported by said rollers, and a spring leaf extending through said opening and carried by said Wedge shaped shoes. l y 4. In a vehicle spring connection a frame member, a housing vertically pivoted to said frame member an opening'in said housing, end plates for said housing, one of said lend plates being longitudinally adjustable, antiriction bearings carried in said end plates, zotrunnions carried in said bearings, a yoke connecting said trunnions and carried by said bearings so as to be adjustably pivoted Without :friction in said housing, races slidably mounted in said yoke, means for adjustably urging said races toward each other, rollers' running in said races, Wedge shaped shoes guided and supported by said rollers, and a spring leaf extending through said opening and carried by said shoes. f l 5. In a vehicle spring connection a frame y member, a housing vertically pivoted to said frame member, adjustable anti-friction bearings mounted in said housing, a yoke horizontally pivoted in said adjustable anti-friction bearings races mounted in said yoke, rollers running in said races, shoes guided and supported by said rollers, and a leaf spring carried by said shoes.

In testimony whereof, I a'lix my signature. 40 EDWARD B. ZIMMERMAN. 

